


Dream When You're Feeling Blue, Dream That's The Thing To Do

by Alexandria_Allen



Series: Original Shorts [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Aftercare, Erotica, Falling In Love, Fluff, M/M, Short & Sweet, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:22:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24181261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexandria_Allen/pseuds/Alexandria_Allen
Summary: Toby brings Adler home with him after their first erotic encounter together in the alley. Toby promises to take care of Adler and that's exactly what he intends to do.Follow up to "Warm Hearts, Cold Hands".
Series: Original Shorts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1737160
Kudos: 4





	Dream When You're Feeling Blue, Dream That's The Thing To Do

Toby and Andler didn’t speak on the cab ride back to Toby’s spacious apartment across town, but when Toby had climbed in beside him and had given the cabbie the address he’d discreetly tucked his arm around Adler’s waist from under the edges of the sport coat and securely held him sidelong all the way there.

Adler didn’t protest. 

If anything he found the display of intimacy comforting. Toby wasn’t an eager stranger who thought they were going to get a taste of the exotic for a night that they could write home about later. Toby and Adler were genuine friends and had been since they’d individually joined the advertising team at Sharewell. 

Toby was the team’s web designer and coder while Alder was the secondary team lead on most of their projects. Andler dealt with the director and made sure the man was happy. It was a position that had garnered a lot of respect in the office considering that the Director of Advertising was a meticulous and exacting type that struck fear into the hearts of just about everyone else other than him. Malcolm had never seemed to be able to intimidate Adler. Judging from the ranting that often could be heard from Malcolm’s usually closed office when they privately conferenced together, it appeared that Adler somehow managed to ignore the man’s caustic temperament in favor of presenting the facts as he saw them. If Malcolm disagreed, Adler would present further evidence and push his talking points or he’d calmly ask for the director’s recommendations and then carry out the ones he thought were most relevant to the task. 

As a secondary team lead, Adler was clear, concise, and able to sniff out talent better than anyone Toby had ever seen. Due to this ability the teams he leads always seemed to run more smoothly than others in the office and there was some competition among much of the greener staff in order to work with him.

In spite of his professional reputation, when Adler wasn’t leading his team he liked to be left alone to work quietly in his office. No one tried to talk to him unless it was work-related most of the time. Adler was used to these things. Sharewell was the best job and working environment he’d ever had and he wasn’t about to complain about any of it. But there were other little things that still wore on the man. Like how people in the office tended to give him more space in tight quarters than was necessary as if they were especially afraid they might brush against him. Or how the other men in the office would shut each other up when they were gossiping around the water cooler or in the breakroom if Adler came into view. Everyone was polite and professional and that’s where it began and ended.

And then Toby had come along and things in the office had changed. Toby had shaken Adlers hand confidently when they’d met and frequently tended to tap on his shoulder or touch Adler’s arm when he wanted the man’s attention. The subtle and frequent contact had startled and sometimes alarmed Adler at first. But he’d never asked Toby to stop any of it because at the end of the day it made Adler feel like he really belonged at Sharewell.

“We’re here,” Toby said softly. 

Toby sighed in a relieved manner. While he liked working in the city and did fairly well for himself there, he really didn’t care much for all the hustle and was always happy to be able to go home where he could get away from all the action every day.

Toby paid the cabbie and slowly walked with Adler into the building.

“You doing OK?” Toby inquired as they neared the elevator.

“Just a little shaky. You apparently know how it is.” Adler quipped dryly.

“Drop? Yeah. I do. Let’s get you inside and get some electrolytes and some sugar in you. I’ve got Powerade and two kinds of girl scout cookies so you can have your pick.” When they arrived on the correct floor Toby shook out his key and ushered Adler into the apartment.

Adler stepped into the kitchen and despite still shivering from time to time shrugged off Toby’s sports coat and set it neatly on the back of one of the dining chairs.

Toby pulled open the fridge and pulled out two individual bottles of Powerade passing one to Adler who immediately popped the cap and downed two-thirds of the bottle in one go. The cookies Toby had mentioned where already sitting on a plate in the center of the table. Adler noted this, looked at his bottle, and then look speculatively at Toby.

“You didn’t happen to plan for all this, did you?” Adler inquired.

“No. But if I had would that have bothered you?” Toby rebutted, popping the lid of his own bottle and taking a long sip.

“No.” Adler quietly said. “I like that kind of consideration.”

“Well, you have my mother to thank for that. My mother believed in the finer points of good manners when it came to hospitality growing up. She always made sure if I or my sister went anywhere that we brought a host gift or sent a nice thank you card after.” Toby said.

“How very mid-western of her,” Adler remarked approvingly. 

“What do you need next? Do you want a shower or something more comfortable to wear? Maybe a new sanitary pad if you want to wait on the shower for later.” Toby mentioned the last option with special care.

“Why do you have sanitary pads here?” Andler inquired.

“Because as I mentioned I have a sister and she stays over sometimes,” Toby explained.

Adler sighed and tried to think. 

“I guess I’d just like to lay down for a little while.” He said at length.

“Sure. The bedroom is through there or if you prefer there’s a throw on the side of the couch.” Toby mentioned.

Adler settled immediately for the couch and slipped out of his shoes before he walked around it and slowly settled down on the centermost cushion feeling for the throw blanket which was draped over the right arm. It turned out to be deliciously soft and on the weightier side, Adler noted as he pulled it into his lap. 

“Toby, how long have we been friends?” Adler asked.

Hm? I’d say the broader side of two and a half years. Why?” Toby came around the side of the couch as well and stood to wait before he sat down. 

“It’s just you’ve never mentioned your sister before,” Adler observed.

“Mm. True. Although I don’t recall you ever asking about my family life either.” Toby pointed out. “Scoot over a little more.”

Adler obeyed though he didn’t understand why Toby needed more room at first until Toby slowly pulled the folded blanket out of Adler’s lap and lifted up his left arm to open up his body so that Adler could rest his head on his thigh.

“I’m sorry. It’s been inconsiderate of me not to ask.” Adler apologetically muttered.

“I never worried about it. In my experience, if a person hasn’t had the nicest family experiences of their own they’re less likely to ask about the families of others.” Toby mused as he unfolded the blanket and thew one long end over Adler.”Do you have siblings?”

“A younger brother. I never see him though.” Adler replied. 

“Are you’re parents still around?” Toby went on.

“No. My father died about ten years ago and my mother followed about five years later. Natural causes in both cases. Although in my mother’s case it was probably more out of spite than anything else. I think my mother was angry that my dad left her behind and wasn’t having any of it. They were obnoxiously romantic like that. What about ou?” Adler asked as a buzzy feeling settled behind the bridge of his nose when he noticed their breathing had gently synced.

“My mom is still around. She’s out in De Moine living her best life. My dad died when I was really young. I don’t really remember a lot about him. Air force. Afganistan.” In spite of the subject matter, Toby stroked Adler’s short brown hair and smiled indulgently to himself as he felt Adler absentmindedly rub his temple into Toby’s thigh.

_God, he’s got to be the most responsive person I’ve ever met._ Toby noted.

Toby let a soothing silence fall over them for a while but the temptation to draw Adler out and enhance their closeness eventually encouraged him to speak again.

“What were you thinking about in the cab on the way here, ad?” Toby warmly asked while he began to make light circles with his pointer finger just behind Adler’s ear. 

“You. Us, really. I was trying to pinpoint something.” Adler admitted.

“Did you succeed?” Toby asked.

“No. I suppose in the light of everything now it doesn’t matter.” Adler sighed and tried to relax fully once more against Toby.

“Hey. Your questions and feelings do matter Ad. They matter to me. I want you. I want you with me and I want to be with you. I always have. Being your close friend was enough for me all this time. But now,” Toby hesitated. “But now that I know for sure you're willing to at least consider something more together being only your close friend isn’t going to cut it for me anymore.”

“I admit you never coded as gay to me and you still don’t.” Adler pointed out.

“Yeah well, maybe I just blend really well. I’ve always been open to the idea of a same-sex dynamic I just hadn’t met anyone I liked enough to pursue them in that way.” Toby explained.

“Maybe I blend too just less smoothly,” Adler replied with a sigh. “You’re the only one besides Malcolm that ever treats me like a real person at the office.”

“No one’s trying to make you feel that way. Everyone at the office is just trying to be mindful and since their not used to having to exert that much mindfulness for someone else ‘s sake it comes off stiff.” Toby could sense tension beginning to build up in his friend.

Gradually, stroking and holding Adler like he was wasn’t going to be enough for Toby. At this moment he badly wanted to hold Adler in full, to reassure him, and feel him let go.

Toby felt Adler shudder lightly.

“You know that throw works better when two people are sharing it. Can I?” Toby requested.

Adler half sat up and nodded, allowing Toby to pull himself and most of the blanket off the couch so that he could settle back down in a reclined position with the blanket over both of them.

“Let me hold you, Ad. It’ll be better than you squashing up against the side like that.” Toby coaxed.

“I’m sore. You’re going to have to help me out here a little.” Adler muttered.

Toby nodded and helped him reposition so that Adler was atop him with his forehead pressing into the hollow of the side of Toby’s throat.

Toby held Adler securely and pressed light butterfly kisses methodically along the line of his brow. Toby heard Adler defeatedly groan against the bottom of Toby’s ear and immediately slid his right hand up to cup the side of Adler’s face to search out any tension he could find and rub it away until every part of Adler was relaxed once more.

“I see and hear you, babe. You might not be able to believe me right now but I’m going to say it anyway. You’re the man in my dreams. All of my dreams. And someday, I’d like to become the man in all of yours.” Toby assured him.


End file.
